1846: George Brown

1846 December 22 |Mansfield Colliery

George Brown (36) | fall of coal

Fatal Accident – New Cumnock, 22d Dec 1846 –

At Mansfield Colliery, in the neighbourhood of New Cumnock, this day, one of the workmen, named George Brown, was in the act of undermining that portion of the seam he meant to take down for the day’s “dark,” when it unexpectedly gave way, and crushed the unfortunate man to eternity in a moment. The deceased was a sober, inoffensive, individual, and in the prime of life. He has left a wife and small family to lament their irreparable loss. [Dumfries and Galloway Standard 23 December 1846]

Although his headstone in the Auld Kirkyard, New Cumnock records he was 42 years old when he died, George was born at Perth on 12th July 1810 and therefore was 36 years old when he ‘lost his life in Mansfield Coalworks’.

George Brown headstone (Robert Guthrie)

It is not clear when his father and mother moved the family to New Cumnock their names appear in the 1841 Census records of the parish. At this time his parents were living at High Linn while George, his wife and three sons (Thomas, John & William) were living at Mounthope, at which time George was employed as a tile manufacturer, probably at the clay pits near Hall of Mansfield. Two daughters (Elizabeth and Jean) were born at Mounthope before their father lost his life.